


Even the Finest Sword Plunged into Salt Water Will Eventually Rust

by unappetizingegg



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Twins, Family Dynamics, Fluff and Angst, Gen, No Smut, basically techno has a hard time but also he has good family so he'll be alright, dun dun dun, i don't know how to do tags sorry, or will he
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27916321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unappetizingegg/pseuds/unappetizingegg
Summary: Phil was a warrior. He’d fought many battles, been to war countless times, protected those he’d sworn to serve with his life, risen quickly in the ranks to be promoted to a royal guardsman, slain enemy after enemy on the battlefield, and proven his worth as the best of the best. There was no battle he wouldn’t fight, no enemy he couldn’t take, no hardship he’d not address.One battle he never anticipated having to fight was that of parenthood.alternatively:Technoblade grows up on a farm and his dad teaches him how to fight. His brothers are there too. Chaos ensues.
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Niki | Nihachu, Dave | Technoblade & Phil Watson, Dave | Technoblade & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Dave | Technoblade & TommyInnit, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Comments: 36
Kudos: 286





	1. CHAPTER 1 - Laying Plans

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU, based off of the characters in the Dream SMP, not the people who play them. Please understand that the personalities I attribute to these people do not correlate with who they are in real life, but instead are based off of the personalities they roleplay with. None of this is real, it is entirely fiction.
> 
> That being said I also recognize that I’m using the names and aliases of real people, so I will not be writing any sexual content in this fic. If that is what you are looking for, I would recommend you search elsewhere.
> 
> As mentioned above, this is an AU, or alternate universe fic. I will draw upon certain key plot points from the Dream SMP storyline, but none of them will be entirely the same. I am writing a story based off of already established characters, while using my own creative direction. Please don’t leave comments telling me what did and didn’t happen- I know.
> 
> One more thing: I was inspired to write this due to a prompt/fanart I saw on twitter from @Limes_Smile. I believe they are the original person who came up with the “Techno and Wilbur as twins” headcanon. I give them full credit as my inspiration + for the idea, as I utilize it here. Thank you!
> 
> All that being said: Please enjoy!

Phil was a warrior. He’d fought many battles, been to war countless times, protected those he’d sworn to serve with his life, risen quickly in the ranks to be promoted to a royal guardsman, slain enemy after enemy on the battlefield, and proven his worth as the best of the best. There was no battle he wouldn’t fight, no enemy he couldn’t take, no hardship he’d not address.

One battle he never anticipated having to fight was that of parenthood.

When he’d met the mother of his children on a town excursion, he’d known his time was up. He gave it all away, his prestige, his honour, to be with her. She brought with her two boys, twins, only 4 years old, from a past relationship, but Phil took to them like they were his own. He loved them, cared for them, did everything he could to be a proper dad for them.

He was the model father in every aspect.

When he learned she was pregnant again, he thanked the Gods he didn’t even believe in for blessing them.

The twins were his boys, and he’d never let anything change that, but to have a child with the love of his life was special. This was an experience he had wanted to have with her, to raise a kid together from birth to adulthood, and it was only just beginning. Her pregnancy was easy, only a few hiccups and stressful moments here and there, but overall, very smooth and devoid of issues.

Until it wasn’t.

She died bringing their child into the world.

Phil was devastated. He’d lost one beautiful soul, the love of his life, and yet he’d also gained another, that of his newborn son. Now, with three children to watch after, and one only a baby, he worried about what their future might hold. He couldn’t show his face in town, couldn’t have all the people he’d grown to know and care about see him suffer so much, couldn’t bear the looks of pity he received daily.

So he packed up everything and moved his family across the land.

They soon encountered a town called L’manberg, and as soon as they had stepped foot in the village, he knew it was right. This was where he’d raise his kids, this is where they needed to be. The city was full of families, full of kids the same age as his. It would be perfect for them to be able to make friends.

He poured the last of his funds into buying land a few miles out and got to work. He had a lot of learning to do, but as he had in the past, he demonstrated he was a quick learner. Soon, after much effort and some very sleepless nights, he had succeeded in creating a new life for them, a fresh start. His little family was secure and safe, his land was fertile and well kept, and their house, which had once been the remnants of a shack, had been upgraded and expanded into a cozy cabin, perfect for a growing family.

Phil was healing. Phil was happy again.

* * *

He should have known it would never last.

“TECHNO!”

He winced. He didn’t like it when dad yelled, it hurt his ears and muddled his brain. “Yeah?” he called back, quieter, hoping that by lowering his own volume, Phil would follow suit.

“COME HELP ME OUT HERE FOR A MINUTE!”

So much for that theory.

His hands naturally flew to cover his ears as he cringed again. A white noise fog taking over his senses for a moment. His head pounded, he could hear the blood rushing through his ears, his heartbeat echoing through his skull. He paused a second, waiting for it to subside, before sighing and pushing himself to his feet, carefully as to not cause himself any more disorientation.

He never complained about anything Phil had him do. It was the least he could do after everything he’d given him- them, his whole family. Techno could not remember a time that Phil hadn’t been his father, but he knew that most normal men that were as young as Phil had been would not be interested in raising kids that weren’t his own. He was an anomaly.

He pattered out of his room and into the kitchen, being careful not to trip over the multitude of random items Tommy had left out on the floor. His younger brother, only 14, was a mess, a whirling tornado that seemed to produce a countless amount of trash in his wake, almost out of nowhere.

Phil was in the kitchen, looking around the ground with the most disappointed yet amused look on his face, and Techno couldn’t help but laugh. It was clear Tommy had gotten into one of the cabinets, dropped what looked like half a bag of flour on the floor, and neglected to sweep it up. Pots and pans littered the countertop, set out and left there, a few larger utensils forgotten as well.

“I just came in to cook and this was here. You wouldn’t have happened to see it happen, would you?” Phil asked, sounding completely fed up and exhausted, but the corners of his lips were turned up, and there was a mischievous sparkle in his eye, like he was almost proud of his son for being such a menace.

“Unfortunately- no- fortunately, I was not,” Techno said, shrugging, “although I did hear him and Tubbo come in here and make a ruckus and then leave. They were screaming so loud I couldn’t concentrate.”

“Ah, so Tubbo had a hand in this too? And I’ll have a word with them about screaming in the house again, although- ah.” He could see his father cringing at his own mistake, “Sorry, Techno. I’m just so wired to yell because it’s the only time Tommy ever listens to me.”

“That’s alright, I’ll survive,” he assured him, waving his hand dismissively. He could deal with a little bit of loud noise every now and then.

“Alright. Now help me clean this mess up. And his shit in the hallway too, if you don’t mind. I can’t believe he just leaves his stuff out like this when all I spend my time on is lecturing him about how he can’t do exactly that. I feel like I’m talking to a brick wall that also happens to be my son.”

Techno listened to his dad go on and on about how Tommy drove him nuts, and how Tommy was a mess and never learned, and how Tommy didn’t ever give him any respect. To anyone else, it would sound like a truly bitter rant from a father who resented his child, but he knew better. This is always how it’d been between Phil and Tommy, and while Phil sounded sincere, he was more interested in his son being his own person than him following his every order.

They got to work on dinner after cleaning everything up, Techno sticking around to help chop all the vegetables Phil wanted to use for the stew he’d planned on making. It was a tradition for them; every night, he’d help make dinner to some capacity. It was and unspoken rule between them, like many of their daily rituals were. If you were looking for Phil, you’d likely find Techno with him. The two were basically inseparable.

Techno’s ears twitched when he heard Tommy’s loud voice come into earshot for him, accompanied by Tubbo shouting to be heard as well. “They’re almost here,” he warned his dad, still focusing on stirring the stew, his back turned to the door, “I can hear them yelling now.”

“Ah, well the peace was nice while it lasted, here comes the parade,” Phil mused with a half hearted chuckle, “I can hear them now too. Screaming for no fucking reason.”

They only had about ten more seconds of relative calm before the two boys burst in, Tommy chanting, “Dad, dad, dad listen, dad listen, dad! Dad!”

“Yes! Yes I’m listening!” Phil said with a sigh, wiping his hands off on the towel next to Techno before turning to give his attention to his youngest son, “Ah, that’s where the pan lid was. Give it here.”

Looking over his shoulder, Techno saw that Tommy was holding the pot lid in one hand and a large wooden spoon in the other. Tubbo was similarly equipped, with the matching pot on his head, dangling off to one side as it was too big and nearly covered his eyes, and a spoon in his fist.

“No, it’s my shield,” Tommy argued, saying it like it was the most obvious fact on the planet, and how could Phil be so foolish as to not understand, “I’m fighting with it. Dad, tell Tubbo I beat him. I beat him in our fight and he won’t say I did. Tell him dad, tell him I beat him.”

“He didn’t!” his friend piped up next to him, “I tripped him and he fell, and then he claimed it was his shoelace and that heroes didn’t have shoes like his so it didn’t count!”

“And then I disarmed you and beat you, you, you uh, you prick!”

“But I’d already won! I thought we were done fighting!”

“We weren’t! I hadn’t won yet!”

“But I’d won!”

“Shut up Tubbo, I won!”

“No I did!”

“NO I DID!”

“BOYS! Shut up! Stop yelling.”

Tecno hadn’t even realized he’d dropped the spoon right into the pot of soup in an effort to cover his ears, his eyes screwed shut. He cracked one open, his head foggy from the excess noise. He quickly became aware of the pounding headache that took over, slowly inching its way into every inch of his skull, wincing as it spread past his temples, behind his eyes, and then down his neck to his hunched shoulders.

“What have I said about yelling?” Phil said, his voice much lower, with legitimate power and anger behind his words, “You are hurting your brother with your carelessness. I expect more respect from you, Tommy, and you too Tubbo.” His tone softened, and Techno could feel his dad become less tense next to him, “I don’t care who won your fight, you can argue about it another time, but keep the screaming matches away from him. It’s rude and you know better. You’re too old to be acting like children anymore. If you want to be treated like adults learn to act like them. Am I clear?” He must have received affirmative answers, because Phile then said, “Good. Also, next time we’re in town, I’ll buy you two some proper gear. I’m sick of you banging up my kitchenware. We can get you some sparring stuff.”

“Really?” The hope and excitement in Tommy’s tone made Techno smile again, despite the pain that still plagued his skull. That small smile slowly transformed into a grin, and he dropped his hands, turning to look over his shoulder. Sure enough, his brother looked elated, clearly making a conscious effort to suppress his volume. Tubbo seemed less enthused, his features still portraying guilt, but he too had started bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Yeah, I think it’ll be good for you two,” Phile observed, also grinning. He nudged Techno with his elbow, “Who knows, maybe you’ll surpass your brother’s skill one day if you practice enough.”

“I doubt it,” Techno shot back.

“Does that mean I can train with you, dad?” Tommy asked, his hands gripping the countertop as he rocked back and forth. He looked like he might vault over the surface and tackle one of them at any point, his body thrumming with building energy.

Phil laughed, slapping his own hands down on the counter as if it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard, “Absolutely not. You are nowhere near mature enough to be doing serious training.”

“Aw, but Techno did at my age!”

“Sure, but Techno proved to me very early on that he was ready and would be focused enough to properly train. He really wanted it Tommy.”

“Yeah, well, I really want it too.”

“It’s not the same, trust me,” Phil said, moving around the island counter to ruffle his son’s messy hair, “If you had known 14 year old Techno now, you’d know that too. Maybe one day I’ll train you, but you need more time to mature. He was a special case. I don’t think I’d ever take anyone that young on as an apprentice again.”

Tommy huffed indignantly, pushing his dad’s hand away with a pout on his face, “Well. It’s not fair. Whatever.”

“I want to learn too, when you teach Tommy can you teach me too?” Tubbo piped up from next to his friend.

“Sure, Tubbo. Now you two put my pots and pans and spoons away and go clean up for dinner. It’s almost ready. Did you see Wilbur?”

Tommy shook his head, the two young boys moving to put their utensils away, “No, he told me he’d be back for dinner this morning on his way out, though. Said he was going to meet a friend or something. I don’t know, I wasn’t listening.”

“Very helpful, thank you Tommy.”

The low rumbling of Tommy’s almost inaudible complaining about how Phil was being an ass and didn’t get it drew a snort out of his brother. Techno turned back to the soup, bringing a hand up to rub the bridge of his nose, “I dropped the spoon in there, I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault, let’s fish it out.”

By the time everything was cooked and cleaned up, ready to be plated, Wilbur still hadn’t shown up. “Let’s just get started, he’ll be back soon I’m sure,” Phil reasoned, handing out a bowl to each of them. It wasn’t uncommon for Wilbur to disappear for the whole day, only to show up right before sundown.

Sure enough, only a few minutes into eating, he burst in through the door. “Sorry, sorry. Got tied up with something. Didn’t realize how late it was,” he panted. He sounded winded, like he’d run the whole way home, and Techno had a feeling that was exactly what he’d done.

“No problem, foods on the stove, come fill us in on your day,” his dad said with a kind smile, motioning him over. Wilbur was quick to pour himself a bowl of the stew, sliding into his seat next to his twin with a sigh. His shoulders slumped forward, his neck bending back, as he took a minute to just catch his breath. “What did you get up to?”

“Not much. Made a new friend. She’s great.”

Tommy perked up instantly, his disinterested look melting away into a teasing smirk, “She? Ooh, Wilbur, are you out there meeting women?”

There was another loud sigh as Wilbur stirred his spoon around in the bowl in front of him, “She’s my friend, Tommy.”

“Your friend? Your girl-friend? I think Wilbur might have a girlfriend, Tubbo. Oh, Tubbo, he’s got a girlfriend, isn’t that so crazy Tubbo.”

“So crazy, that’s just so crazy Wilbur, it must be crazy for you,” Tubbo agreed nodding his head frantically, “A girlfriend, that’s so crazy. Congrats Wilbur, congrats on the girlfriend.”

“Yes congrats. Big moves man, big moves.”

With a snort, Phil waved the two off, “Alright, leave him be. Tell me about her, what’s her name Will?”

“Niki. I’ve seen her around but we never really talked or anything until now. She works at the butcher’s shop and she’s always busy but I saw her just walking around today and I thought I’d go say hi. Turns out she’s my age and is pretty new in L’manberg, her family just moved here last month, so I offered to show her around for a bit, and it was great, like a really fun time.” There was a pause, and then; “I think you’d get along with her, Techno.”

Another pause. Techno’s brow raised slightly, his eyes sliding to the side to look at Wilbur in his periphery. “Hm?” he voiced after a tense moment of quiet, in which he could practically feel Tommy and Tubbo vibrating with energy, trying not to burst out laughing.

“Yeah, I was thinking she needs some more friends, and that you’d get along with her. Maybe I can bring her back here some time?” Wilbur had turned to face him almost completely, a sheepish smile on his face. “I mean, or not. But I think you’d like her. She’s really soft spoken and sweet.”

Phil also was trying to hold in his laughter, and Techno shot him a disapproving look. He sighed and shrugged, “You can bring whoever you want back here. I don’t know about me being involved though.”

“Come on, I really want you to start meeting everyone,” Wilbur pleaded, grabbing his arm with one hand and shaking it slightly as if it would help him get his point across, “She’d be a great introduction to my friends because she’s the chillest of all of them. You’d really like her, I promise. Nowhere near as chaotic as Tubbo.”

The indignant “Hey!” from across the table pulled at the corners of Techno’s mouth again, and he couldn’t help the tiny smile that overtook his face. He schooled his features again, forcing them to be stoic, “I don’t know Willbur…”

“Oh, come on Techno,” his dad said, “it would be good for you. You’ve been isolated for so long. It would be good for you to meet someone new.”

He stared at his father, squinting his eyes a little. He felt like he’d been backed up into a corner, like he was being set up to not be able to say no, and it didn’t feel great. But part of him knew Wilbur was right. He was 20 years old and hadn’t stepped a foot outside of their farm since the day they’d moved in. The only person outside of his family that knew him was Tubbo, and he had good reason to keep it that way. People were never the kindest to him, especially after it became evident he wasn’t entirely human.

~~~

_ Techno had always been the odd one between the two of them. _

_ At seven years old, Techno had gone out to play with his brother and the other kids in the street. They always treated him like he was different, but he didn’t understand why. Then one day, one of the kids, a little girl in a flowery dress that had to be a few years younger than him, asked, “Why are your ears so droopy?” _

_ He was confused, at first. Droopy? Then he realized she was right, that he had noticed before his ears looked different than Wilbur’s, but he had never thought anything of it. Wilbur was his twin, that’s what mom always said. “I don’t know,” he responded. The girl shrugged but didn’t want to talk to him after that. _

_ When he asked his mother about it later, she had told him that they were in fact identical, but that Techno had a mild mutation that made a few of his features ever so slightly different. She explained that it had occurred after they had split into two babies, that the mutation was in Wilbur’s DNA but it hadn’t been triggered like his had. He didn’t know what that meant. Mutation didn’t sound like a very nice word. _

_ The next year, his hair started losing its pigment. He woke up one day, looked in the mirror, and was shocked to see a few patches going what appeared to be pink. He showed his parents, who were both equally shocked, but assured him it wasn’t a big deal, and that it would suit him. He’d get used to it. A month later, he had an entire head of pink hair. _

_ Phil eventually told him, after his mom had died, that there was piglin blood on her side of the family, and that was why he’d had these variations occur. His hair would stay pink and his ears would grow longer and more pig-like, but other than that, he looked the same as Wilbur. It upset him greatly, but he did his best to hide it. He just wanted to look like his brother. It wasn’t fair. _

_ He also learned that other people didn’t like the way he looked, which made him loathe his appearance even more. They were disgusted by his ears, so he grew his hair out to cover them. But when that went pink, he didn’t really have a way of hiding the fact that he had piglin blood in him. He was stuck, and he stuck out, and it was stupid. _

_ So he decided to protect himself by never seeing anyone ever again. _

~~~

He was pulled away from his thoughts by Wilbur saying, “I’ve already told her about you, if you’re worried. She’s fine with it, she didn’t have a problem. She’s really great, Techno. Just, meet her once, and if it doesn’t work out, then I’ll never bring her around ever again. Promise.”

He sighed at that, letting his head fall into his hands. He knew that saying yes was the right answer, that he really should just go along with it. Besides, Wilbur had been so incredible with keeping people away from the farm. He had so many friends from town that he never brought around because he knew his twin valued space and isolation over pretty much everything else. He knew it would be unsafe, and he’d been limiting himself for years to keep Techno happy.

He supposed he could compromise just this one time.

“Alright,” he agreed after another stretch of silence, shaking his head as he heard Wilbur’s sharp inhale of air in surprise, “but! But. A few conditions need to be met. Please.”

“Yes. Anything. List them.”

“I need you to make sure she knows I’m part piglin, like make sure. Not just ‘oh she seems cool with it’, be explicit. And if she shows any sign of being disgusted and grossed out or anything of the sort, you call it off.”

“Done. What else?”

“And if I go hide in my room after a while that means I’m done. Don’t come knocking asking me back out. That’s me telling you I’m tired and need space. Okay?”

“Yes. If you go into your room and close the door, you’re done. I don’t bug you.”

He sighed heavily, rubbing his palms over his eyes, “Okay. That’s it I guess.”

“Holy shit,” Wilbur said, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him slightly. He huffed. He was already regretting his decision. “I’m so excited, I could scream, but I won’t because I know you’d hate that. I’m trying not to get up and sprint around the room, I hope you know. Holy shit, Techno.”

“Don’t make me regret agreeing to this more than I already do,” he warned, but he couldn’t help but smile when he finally caught Wilbur’s eye. His brother was grinning ear to ear, looking like he was about to catapult out of his seat. He looked over at Phil and saw that he was also elated, but doing a much better job of acting chill. He knew his dad was hoping he’d branch out and start trying to integrate with the townsfolk, but that he’d never push him to do so. Phil knew his limits, and while he encouraged him to work against him, he never expected him to break them.

“Yes, yes, you won’t regret it. Tomorrow, then? Midday? Like after you’ve finished training. We’ll just chill. You don’t even have to talk, okay, Niki and I will do all the talking. I’ll make sure she knows you’ll probably be quiet so she won’t expect anything from you, yeah? No expectations, no stress.”

“Sure.”

“Holy shit, I cannot believe you got him to agree to that,” Tommy said, punctuating his disbelief with a sudden fit of laughter. Tubbo joined in, shaking his head, “This is huge, big man. Good fucking luck. I can’t believe you’re making him talk to a girl first, Wilbur.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine, I think it might actually be easier for him to get to know her first,” Wilbur said with a shrug, but the words made Techno’s cheeks burn with heat. He suddenly couldn’t look at anyone around the table. He felt like he was being stared at and like they all knew something, something he didn’t even know for sure. Something he wasn’t ready to think about. Too much was going through his mind. He needed to get out.

“I’m going to go clean I’ll, um… is anyone done?” He asked, standing suddenly, pushing his chair back and grabbing his still half full bowl. He wasn’t hungry anymore, he wasn’t going to be able to finish it.

“I’ll eat the rest of that,” Tommy said quickly, snatching the bowl out of his hand.

His dad stood too, walking over to him and laying a hand on his shoulder, “You go chill. I’ll get the youngin’s to clean up today. You deserve some peace and quiet after the headache I’m sure they caused you.

He nodded glancing up at Phil quickly and cringing at the sympathetic look that he received in return. He turned and walked away as Wilbur asked, “Oh did you two go bother him again? What is wrong with you?” and Tommy’s responding, “It was an accident!”

Once he was in his room, he closed the door, and let himself slide down the thick oak wood onto the floor. His palms naturally migrated to press against his eyes in a feeble attempt to alleviate some of the pain. What had he just agreed to? His head hurt and his fingers felt numb and his brain was full and his body was just tired. He needed to sleep. He desperately wished he had just told Will no, that he wasn’t going to be able to do it, that it wasn’t something he  _ wanted _ to do. 

He was thankful that Wilbur knew him well enough to schedule this meeting after he’d trained with Phil already, when his mind was quietest. Fighting always helped him focus, helped him stay on task, helped him think in general. Hopefully it would calm his nerves, even if only slightly.

As much as he was already dreading tomorrow, he knew Wilbur would only allow as much as he knew Techno could handle. He trusted him. So if he thought that this Niki girl was a good match for him, and that they’d get along, he believed him. He just hoped that Wilbur was right.


	2. CHAPTER 2 - The Challenge

His foot skidded across the dirt ground, picking up under his weight as he pushed down with all his might in an effort to slow his slipping. He gritted his teeth as he finally came to a halt and pushed off, darting to the side to narrowly avoid the slicing sword that came hurtling towards him. He heard the familiar thud of the wooden weapon lodging itself in the ground, and his opponents frustrated huff in return. One of his legs crossed over to the other side so he could push off and dart back in the other direction, whipping his own weapon under and up in a diagonal slash.

His opponent flipped back, leaving the sword jutting out of the ground, effectively disarmed. It was only for a moment, as the man slid forward with insane speed and between Techno’s legs while he was still recoiling from his missed swing, snatching his weapon back up and falling into a ready stance behind him. Techno was swift enough to be able to follow him, and suddenly they were on even terms again.

The next strike came whizzing by his ear, narrowly missing his chin and the left side of his chest, and Techno parried with his own offensive stab. His opponent wasn’t quite ready for it and cried out in surprise when he stumbled and fell backwards in an effort to avoid it, his sword falling uselessly from his hand as he scrambled to regain his footing. Techno kicked the weapon hard, sending it flying to the side and far out of reach, and slashed his sword up right to rest at his father’s neck.

They both breathed hard for a moment, staring at each other, before matching smiles illuminated their features. “That was impressive, well done,” Phil mused, still panting from exertion, “You’re beating me consistently now. I believe you are officially the better fighter.”

“I still have a long way to go,” his son said, lowering the sparring implement and holding his free hand out. Phil took it in both of his own and allowed himself to be pulled up to stand, brushing himself off and grimacing at the dirt on his clothes.

“Well, I’m proud of you still, you are far more skilled than I was at your age.” He looked around the clearing, a fenced off area they used daily for their sparring matches, and his eyes stuck on a spot behind Techno. He waved and called, “Hello! We’re just wrapping up.”

Techno’s calm brain suddenly buzzed to life again and he cringed, turning slowly to follow his dad’s gaze. Sure enough, Wilbur stood on the path that led to town, leaning with his forearms against the fence they’d put up to mark out the area they used for training. Their little sparring setup was right outside the front of their house, and plainly visible from the road leading into their farm. Next to him was who he assumed must be Niki. She was much shorter than the two of them, her blonde hair about shoulder length, parted right down the middle messily. She was wearing a pair of torn up overalls, one strap slung over her shoulder while the other, which was ripped, hung uselessly from the buttons it attached to. She waved back shyly, almost disappearing behind Wilbur, her cheeks going red. He could see her say something but it must have been so quiet it didn’t even reach his sensitive ears.

Techno now realized why Wilbur had thought Niki would be a good starting point.

“Techno, go clean up our gear, I’ll meet you inside,” Phil said, patting his back and giving him a gentle smile. He had a feeling he probably looked like a deer that knew it was being stalked, his eyes wide and ears perked up and body tense as he searched for the danger his brain was screaming at him was right around the corner. He hated that his fight or flight instinct kicked in for something as simple as meeting new people. “I’ll make us something quick to snack on.” His dad turned back to Wilbur and Niki, calling out, “If I make some food would you want any? No pressure.”

“Sure, and if we don’t eat it all I’m sure Tommy and Tubbo will show up and help us out,” Wilbur replied, one arm wrapping around Niki’s shoulder to bring her up next to him. She just nodded along politely.

“Alright, come on in then, we can do introductions inside. Techno, take the time to make sure everything is cleaned up please.”

“Yup.”

He did take the time. He took a lot of time. He rearranged one of the shelves entirely, double checked that everything was still in their shed, and even looked over their actual weapons that hadn't been touched in a while. He pulled out his favourite sword, the one his father had gifted him for his 18th birthday, held it in his hand again. He took a few quick swings and grinned at how natural it felt. Weighted just right. A true extension of his arm.

After he’d done everything he could to postpone the inevitable, he finally gave in and trudged back into the house. Wilbur and Niki were sitting at the dining table while Phil chattered aimlessly as he paced around the kitchen. They all looked up when he opened the door, and he ducked his head when he met Niki’s eyes, his hands clenching by his sides.

“Techno, come help me with this, we’ll get it done quickly.” His dad paused and looked over him, “Actually, go clean up, you’re a mess. Maybe get some new clothes on.”

That was something he could do. Sure. “Sure.” He started across the room, headed towards his bedroom.

“Techno?”

His head turned and he slowed, looking over at his twin brother, “Hm?”

“Bring your brush out, I’ll take care of your hair,” Wilbur offered.

His eyes darted back to their guest, but she didn’t seem to have any reaction to his brother’s suggestion, so he nodded slowly, “Uh, yeah. Okay.”

After wasting as much time as he could cleaning himself up in the washroom, and slowly mulling over which of all the almost identical shirts he had he should choose, he decided he needed to head back out. He was sure if he spent any more time silently in his room, his dad would come knocking on his door to see what he was up to. He grabbed the brush he used on the mess that was his hair, and slowly reappeared in the kitchen.

He’d tied it all up before their training session, as he always did, to just get it out of the way. Wilbur would often offer to detangle it after if he was home, or when he came home later, because he’d always told Techno he liked the way it looked down. Techno had never minded either way, and he avoided looking at himself in the mirror as much as he could anyways, so it didn’t matter to him how his hair was done. As long as it was out of his face while he was fighting, it wasn’t a problem.

Wilbur stood when he noticed him, walking over to grab his wrist and drag them into the adjoined living space. He sat down in the big chair that Phil usually sat in while he was reading, which faced their tiny wood-burning iron furnace, and then patted the ground in front of him. It was a usual setup he was used to, a good routine, something he could do easily. He could do this. Everything was fine.

He sat and tried to ignore the other person who had come and joined them, the person who had sat down in what was usually Tommy’s spot on the couch. His eyes betrayed him and he looked at Niki again, who smiled shyly at him. He didn’t say anything and averted his gaze as quickly as he could. He tried to focus on the sound of Phil in the kitchen, cooking up whatever it was he was working on, and on the feeling of Wilbur trying to untie the string that held his hair up, the familiarity of the sensation, the routine of it. But also, there was someone in Tommy’s spot. He tried not to let it bother him and closed his eyes.

After a minute of fiddling, his hair finally fell down onto his shoulders. He heard Niki gasp and he tensed, instantly worried by what she might say. “Wow, it’s so long, I wish I had hair like that,” she said softly. He didn’t really know how to reply to that.

Luckily, Wilbur knew him better than he knew himself, and he did the talking for him, “Yeah, he’s been growing it since he was 12. I wish I could pull it off but I feel like it wouldn’t suit me the way it suits him.”

“I’ve been trying to grow mine for a while now, but I doubt I’ll ever get it that long,” Niki observed. Techno decided that he liked her voice. She was quiet and all soft consonants, nothing harsh or abrasive. Easy to listen to. “It looks really healthy, too. Mine is so thin. Do you do anything to it?”

There was a moment of silence before he realized he was required to respond. What had been the question? He’d been too relaxed with Wilbur’s hands running through the tangled mess on his scalp to remember to actually listen. Embarrassed, he said, “Uh, sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“That’s okay. Do you do anything special to take care of it? Or are you just lucky and have really nice natural hair?”

He paused to think. Did he do anything? No. “No.” He held his breath, before elaborating, “No, I don’t do anything.”

“Techno would probably just leave it and not even brush it if it weren’t for me and Phil,” Wilbur said, “I don’t think he’s ever cared much about taking care of it. Right?”

“Yeah.” That was an easy answer. He made a mental note to thank Wilbur for really trying to make this simple for him later.

“I’m jealous,” Niki admitted. He looked over at her, worried he’d upset her, but she seemed to be jesting rather than actually jealous, “It’s really nice. My hair is such a pain. I usually just tie it up too, but I actually tried today.”

“It looks lovely, Niki,” Wilbur said smoothly, and Techno wondered to himself how his twin could compliment someone he had just met so easily. There was a certain level of vulnerability you had to show when you complimented someone, a level of admiration Techno reserved for only a few people. He wasn’t good at saying nice things, even if he thought them, but it all seemed to come so easily to his brother.

He glanced back over to see their guest blushing, a hand over her mouth as she mumbled, “Thank you, Will. That’s very sweet of you.”

“Ah, I’m gonna fucking ache tomorrow.”

Phil walked into his vision, a bowl in his hand. He held it out and Techno took it from him, looking down at the contents. Potato salad. One of his favourites. He’d have to thank Phil too, for making him one of his comfort foods. He was very lucky to have two extremely kind people who knew him so well helping him through this new experience.

“Sorry dad,” he said quietly, almost a whisper.

“No no, don’t apologize, you did kick my ass at the end there. Got a one-up on me earlier on as well, I don’t think I had a chance beating you.”

Phil sat down next to Niki on the couch and it was wrong. Phil was supposed to be in this chair, in the one that Wilbur was sat in. Techno closed his eyes again to try to ignore it, to pretend like he didn’t notice.

“So, Niki, why did you and your folks end up here in L’manberg?” Phil asked, and Techno wondered how he came up with good questions like that. He wouldn’t have thought to ask that, even though it seemed like a simple, normal question to ask.

“Well, my mom didn’t want to stay where we were, in a big city. She was worried it was getting too dangerous for me and…”

He zoned it out, eating mechanically and just enjoying Wilbur’s hands combing through his hair. Eventually, he could feel him braiding it, pulling the strands side to side, and the motion almost put him to sleep. His eyes fell shut, the bowl in his hands now sitting in his lap safely, his neck nodding forward slightly.

“Techno?”

“Hm?” he hummed, opening his eyes and reluctantly tilting his head up.

“All done,” Wilbur said from behind him, his hands now resting on his shoulders, “you’re all set.”

“Oh. Uh… thank you.”

“No problem.”

He stood slowly, somewhat unsteady on his feet. Blinking furiously to clear his now cloudy vision, he looked around for a better spot to sit. Phil had left without him noticing, he wondered what he was up to, and the spot next to Niki was free. Carefully, he sat, doing everything he could not to disturb her or move the couch, and set his empty bowl on the tiny side table next to him.

“So, um… Your dad was telling me about how you two train everyday,” Niki said once he was settled, “Why did you get into it? Are you planning to join the guard?”

Hm, was he planning on joining the guard? He hadn’t really put too much thought into it, if he was being honest. “I don’t know,” he said softly, fiddling with the long braid he’d swung over his shoulder, “I just wanted to learn how to.”

“I think it’s like music is for me,” Wilbur interjected, curling his long legs up onto the chair, folding them securely against himself, “he likes it but hasn’t really thought to make it all he does. Right?”

“Yes.” God, was he lucky Will was here.

“That’s so interesting to me though. I feel like I’ve never met anyone who just wanted to learn how to fight. Usually people have different hobbies.” She seemed embarrassed after saying that, clarifying, “Sorry, maybe that was rude. I don’t know. I just don’t see many people decide to learn to fight for no particular reason.”

“It makes sense, you’re fine Niki,” Wilbur replied with his signature Wilbur smile, “I mean, our little brother wants to learn too, but I’m pretty sure he has a serious reason. Like being better than Techno. Last time I asked him about it, that’s what he said, that he wanted to be able to beat him. I’m pretty sure I just laughed. He wasn’t very happy with me.”

A faint shout rang out, Techno’s ears perking up at the noise, his head swivelling to the window, “Speaking of Tommy.”

“You hear him?”

“Yup.”

“How long?”

“About a minute.”

“Is Tubbo with him too?”

A pause. His eyes closed as he listened for the second voice, and sure enough, “Yes.”

“Great, well, Niki can meet them both. They’re a bit loud, just a warning. Okay not a bit. A lot, but they’re both fine once you get to know them and they’ll calm down if you ask them enough times.”

Techno quirked an eyebrow at his twin, “No they won’t.”

There was a sigh that filtered out from behind Wilbur’s hands, where he’d buried his face, “I was lying, Techno, I was telling a little white lie. You know, so she’d have some hope.”

That sort of excuse had always confused him- “She’d eventually find out that you were lying, and then she’d think of you as a liar. Why would you jeopardize your reputation for her to have a few minutes of blissful ignorance? I don’t understand.”

Another sigh. Techno was still confused, but Wilbur lifted his head and smiled wearily in Niki’s direction, “Do you see what I have to deal with.”

“Hm, I don’t know Will,” she replied, but just from her tone, Techno could tell that she was teasing, “I think he’s right. You definitely shouldn’t lie to me.”

“He’s being a smartass.”

Techno hadn’t even been trying to. He felt so out of his depth and now WIll might actually be mad at him. How did he end up doing this to himself? Luckily, the door slammed open as the two younger boys barged in. Tommy was pushing Tubbo ahead of him, his hands securely gripping his friend’s arms as if he was using him like a shield.

“Boys! Settle down,” Phil called, and they quieted a little, still laughing but not shrieking. It was then that Tommy noticed their little group of three in the living room and his grin only grew.

“Oh, Wilbur, is this your girlfriend?” he called, pushing Tubbo out of the way to get to them. He stood by Techno’s side, his smirk growing larger by the second, “Hello, Wilbur’s girlfriend.”

“No Tommy, this is not my girlfriend,” Wilbur sighed, hiding behind his hand again, “This is Niki. She’s my friend.”

“Yeah. Your friend who’s a girl. Girlfriend. Right Tubbo?”

His friend had come to stand next to him, “Uh huh, girlfriend. Yup.”

“We met yesterday Tommy-”

“Boys, what did I say about settling down,” Phil called as he walked up to them, squeezing between the two. He had to mugs in his hands, each with a spoon, and he handed one to Techno. It was another ritual, something he was used to; after their training they’d make some food and have a cup of tea and just sit together in the living room. Sometimes they’d talk, sometimes they’d just be quiet, whatever he felt up to that day. It was kind of his dad to try and maintain some sense of normalcy for him.

“Thank you, dad.”

He hoped that he had conveyed he meant that for more than just the drink.

“No problem.”

“Here, I’ll move, you can have your seat,” Wilbur offered, standing before he had even finished talking. He squished over onto the couch next to Techno and Niki, looping an arm over his twin’s shoulder to try and save some space. They were awkwardly pressed up together, but Techno didn’t mind too much, since it was only Wilbur on one side, and the couch’s arm on the other.

“And where the fuck is my seat?” Tommy complained. Of course, that spot had been taken by Niki, so Techno wasn’t surprised when he was targeted instead, “Techno. Get up.”

“No thanks.”

“I’ll fight you, big man. Watch out.”

He sighed, stirring his tea with the spoon, before standing and stepping aside. Tommy rocketed into the empty space, grinning mischievously at him. “I’m just going to put my spoon away,” Techno started slowly, metering his words out as he made eye contact with my brother, “But when I get back you better be out of that spot.”

“And what will you do if I’m not?”

He could hear the challenge in his tone, the defiance that the teen was projecting. He hummed as if deep in thought, lifting the spoon out of the tea and tapping it a few times against the mug. After another short pause he leaned in a little and lowered his volume, “You don’t want to know the answer to that question.”

The look on his little brother’s face almost made him break, but he stopped himself from smiling.

Straightening up, he headed back into the kitchen, finally smirking when he knew his features weren’t visible. He heard Phil’s quiet, “That’s my son,” and Wilbur’s responding laugh, along with Tubbo quietly pleading with Tommy to get up. He made a show of slowly washing the spoon, running it under the water, drying it off, and then setting it off to the side, before he finally turned around and headed back.

Tommy was now sitting on the floor, Tubbo next to him, opposite the couch. “Good choice,” Techno said blandly as he sat back down, schooling his features, ignoring Tommy’s grumbling and instead choosing to just sip his tea.

The family fell into conversation easily, and Techno just kept his mouth shut, opting to just listen. Phil had always been very personable and could easily carry a conversation, and even when he didn’t need to he was very thoughtful and full of questions. His easy personality and kind face made getting to know him a very simple experience. He prompted Niki with questions and exchanged stories with her, all with a smile.

Wilbur had inherited that personable quality, although he was a little more sarcastic. He’d dropped it mostly with Niki, though, only pushing a little. Techno was sure once they’d gotten to know each other more, Wilbur would be back to his usual self.

Tommy and Tubbo were mostly quiet, not very interested in what was being said and instead focusing on eachother. They chatted and sometimes their laughter would drown everyone else out and make Techno flinch, and Phil would have to tell them to “settle down” again, and make some comment about them being “too chaotic”, but it was overall very relaxed. Techno could just shut his brain down and listen.

He decided WIlbur had been right, having Niki here wasn’t that horrible. He didn’t mind having her around with everyone else. He could handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Absolutely not me projecting my autistic behaviours onto Techno......... no....... definitely not what's happening..............
> 
> (Also thank you for all the support on the first chapter! It's very much appreciated <3)


	3. CHAPTER 3 - The Plan of Attack

The sun had set, and Techno had locked himself in his room, his face buried in a book. He still had a few more hours of reading in him, but it was getting late, and he was surprised he could still hear Niki outside as she chatted with his family. Phil and Wilbur had let him extricate himself from the situation without a word, but Tommy had teased him as he left. He’d expected it, but it had drained him even further. He was tired of being around others.

Then there was a knock at his door.

He groaned without meaning to, forcing himself up from where he lay on his stomach on his mattress, leaving his book on the covers as he walked over to answer it. It was Phil, as he’d expected, but he felt uneasy when he looked at his dad’s face. It was clear that he wasn’t just saying goodnight, he looked tense and uncomfortable.

“I have a favour to ask you, and you’re not going to like it.”

Those words weren’t a good sign either.

“What is it?”

“Just come with me a moment.”

He obeyed without question. Phil knew him, Phil wouldn’t push him too far. Phil would take care of him.

They rounded the corner and he saw Wilbur and Niki standing near the door, as if they were ready to leave. A pit formed in his stomach. He had a feeling he knew what Phil was going to ask of him.

“We let time get away from us,” Phil said slowly, turning to look at him, and Techno forced himself to make eye contact, “And it’s dark out now. And as much as I trust Wilbur to take care of himself I don’t trust him to get her home safe. Techno, I need you to go with them.”

Wilbur stepped forward, looking as if he was actually offended, “What? Dad, why?”

“It’s not safe out there, WIlbur, you know that. Especially not for a young woman. And if you two got attacked you wouldn’t be able to do shit. I’m not letting you get hurt just because you’re being careless. You should have planned ahead more carefully and you didn’t.”

Wilbur deflated at that, nodding solemnly, “You’re right. Sorry.”

Phil patted his shoulder, “I’m sorry I’m ruining your valuable alone time.”

“You’re just as bad as Tommy, you know.”

That got a chuckle out of him, “Like father like son.” He then turned back to Techno, his smile dropping when he looked at him properly, “I know you’re not fond of this, but-”

“Dad, I can’t.” He cursed himself in his head for letting his voice crack. His throat felt funny and his head was fuzzy.

“I’m sorry, I am, I know this is too much to ask of you,” his father said, moving forward and wrapping him up in a hug, “I need you to do this for me, please. Wilbur will do any talking he has to for the both of you. It’s so late, no one will be out, no one will bother you. I promise you’ll be just fine. I just need to make sure they’re safe, and I can’t go running off and leaving Tommy alone and all the cleanup I didn’t finish around the farm yet. Please, Techno, just try for me.”

He reluctantly nodded. He knew that it only made sense, but it didn’t help much. Plus, he knew he owed this to Phil, for everything he’d ever done for him. His dad had never pushed him or forced him into town, always giving him the option to back out whenever he wanted. He was asking him for a favour, just this one time, and he needed to suck it up and go through with it.

“Give me one moment, I just need… I’m going to grab some stuff,” he said, pushing past them without thought and out the door. He jogged over to the shed on autopilot, his brain buzzing. He grabbed a pair of wrist braces and strapped them on without a second thought. If he was going to get in a fight, he’d want to at least have a bit of protection, and when he dueled with Phil he’d always have them on. He swapped over to his combat boots, slung a bow and quiver onto his back, and then moved over to his favourite sword. He stared at it for a second. He’d never actually had to fight anyone, he’d never used this sword outside of his practice. Grabbing the weapon, he strapped it to his waist through the appropriate belt, and then took one last deep breath while running through his checklist in his head. Once he was satisfied he had everything, he headed back out, being sure to shut the door behind him.

He was greeted by Phil, Wilbur and Niki right outside the house’s front entrance, and he stopped a few paces away, suddenly feeling very self conscious. He didn’t know exactly how he looked in that moment, geared up and ready for a battle while also curling in on himself instinctually as they all stared at him, but he was sure it was quite the image of juxtaposition.

At least Phil was smiling at him.

“Ready?” Wilbur asked, and he just nodded. He hoped they didn’t expect him to talk on the walk there.

“Be safe, keep them safe,” Phil instructed, stepping up to hug him again, and he just nodded to that as well, taking a deep breath as his father wrapped his arms around him. Thank god for Phil, he thought to himself. He didn’t know what he’d do without him. The man always knew how to help him, how to keep him calm.

They parted after a moment, and he followed a few steps behind Niki and Wilbur as they started down the path, just the three of them. He took a moment to look over his shoulder, watching Tommy run out of the house and up to Phil’s side, grabbing onto his sleeve and pulling him off in one direction, obviously excited about something. He couldn’t help but smile at Phil’s exasperated but fond expression.

He turned back and just focused on walking, spacing out as Niki and Wilbur talked ahead of him. At least his brother knew not to even try to include him in the conversation.

They walked for a while. It was a bit chilly outside, not freezing, but cold enough that if they stopped moving for a while they’d be cold pretty quickly. Techno looked away when Wilbur linked his arm with Niki, sure he was intruding on a moment, but then his twin looked back at him, smiled, and signaled with his free arm for him to come join them.

Hesitantly, Techno obliged, and let himself be anchored on Wilbur’s other arm. “Sorry, I was getting cold,” his brother explained, “I should have dressed more appropriately.”

He just nodded and didn’t question it.

They kept walking, at a pretty leisurely pace. Techno took the time to just look around, to observe the scenery he’d never experienced before. It looked almost identical to their land, open fields lined with rickety wooden fences by the road, trees bordering the other sides that didn’t intersect with any roads. The untouched forest was somewhere Techno knew well. He’d been into those woods to explore and hide and be alone many, many times. He felt comforted knowing they expanded past his little home, that there would always be somewhere to run to.

In the distance, a sea of dim lights could be seen, slowly approaching them and becoming brighter with every step. That mass of lights made his heart beat faster, and his breathing quicker. It had been so long since he’d seen any other signs of society, other than the few people who needed to visit the farm, or the occasional gift brought back to him from one of his family members. He hoped Niki’s house wasn’t that far away from the edge of town.

As they drew nearer, that anxiety only spiked, so he forced himself to listen to Wilbur and Niki in an attempt to distract himself. As he tuned back in, he heard WIlbur say, “-didn’t really do much to stop us. Let us figure it all out. He’d intervene when things got nasty, but usually only when Tommy was picking on Techno. Since he’s the favourite and all.”

“Hm?” He hummed, turning his head slightly to the side to get a better look at Wilbur.

His brother looked surprised, his eyebrows raising significantly, “You were listening to all that? You looked so spaced out.”

“No,” he admitted, his cheeks warming a bit, “Just heard my name.”

“Well, I’m just explaining about the way Phil forced us all to get along. And how he only really steps in when you were getting bullied, since you’re the favourite child. Always getting the special attention.”

His face could not be hotter in that moment. He ducked his head at Niki’s giggle, shame creeping up the back of his neck, “That’s not true.”

“Oh, come on Techno, it’s no surprise. None of us are upset about it either,” Wilbur reassured him, squeezing his arm quickly, “You two spend all day together, it would be worse if you weren’t best friends.” Wilbur directed his words back to Niki, “Techno’s been training with Phil since he was 13. He’d been asking dad for a few years when he could start and one day he just said yes. It’s part of the daily routine now. Phil said you’re better than him now though, I don’t really know what more you could learn from him.”

“He’s wrong, firstly,” Techno said softly, shrugging his shoulders, “I’m not better than him. I have no real experience.”

“You beat him nearly every time when you two train, though. I’m sure you’d win any real fight you came across.”

“I don’t think so. It’s entirely different. The feelings in the moment, the adrenaline….” He heaved a sigh, breathing in the fresh air around them as he stared at the quickly approaching buildings. He could feel that anxious pit dropping away as he thought, thought of the calm state his mind slipped into while sparring. All that would fly out the window once he was in a real fight. He knew he’d need to spend more energy focusing on staying calm than on actually fighting in that moment. It’s why he’d spent so much time practicing, so he could fight without a thought, so it would be second nature and he could use his brain to be calm and smart instead. If the fighting came easily, if dodging and giving blows was a well choreographed dance he was accustomed to, he could focus on staying in that flow instead.

Wilbur’s voice cut through the fog in his brain, “You’d be fine, Techno, I’m sure of it. I know you. I know you don’t enjoy pressure but you perform well under it. You want to perform well, so you do. It’s in your nature.”

He thought about it. To a certain extent, Wilbur was right. He did do well under pressure, but he was also sure he’d do better if he could just ignore it entirely. If he could pretend that there were no stakes, and just ignore the consequences that would come later...

He was too tired to say everything out loud, so instead, he just settled for, “Perhaps.”

“What kind of pressure?”

Niki’s question reminded him that she was there, a fact he’d forgotten a while ago. He flushed again, embarrassed and feeling like he’d been caught doing something wrong, like he’d shared too much and now he couldn’t go back. Now she was asking questions and expecting answers.

He tried his best to keep it vague, “From… other people.”

“He doesn’t like the idea of letting us down, especially Phil,” Wilbur supplied, and Techno winced at the mere thought of disappointing his dad. It hurt him, to even consider it a possibility.

“I get that. I feel that way too,” Niki said and he found himself glancing over at her, unable to stop himself, “I never quite feel like I’m doing enough.”

He was taken aback by that admission. Never in a million years would he ever say that outloud. He knew people could read it all over him; he wore his emotions and thoughts on his sleeve. But he’d never be caught admitting his weaknesses outloud, especially ones that depended on the opinions of others around him.

Niki continued her thought after a brief pause, “Mum and dad, they’ve always been a bit pushy is all. Nothing crazy. Just a bit strict and they get upset when they see me wasting my time.”

“They’re not going to be happy with you showing up this late, huh?”

She laughed as Wilbur’s quip, “No. They won’t be.”

“I can’t wait for them to hate me right off the bat.”

“I’ll just pretend I was out with someone else. It’ll be fine. Your dad seems a lot cooler than mine, though, just a warning.”

Techno smiled at that. He was sure she was right. “You’re definitely right, Phil is  _ very  _ cool,” Wilbur said, voicing his exact thoughts. They were silent for a moment, before- “We’re almost there. You gonna be okay?”

He looked over at his brother, and the genuine concern written all over his features made Techno’s anxiety settle a little. He’d be fine, he had Will with him. “As long as I can stick with you, yes.”

The grin he got in return was all he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE WE GO about to get into some action! i can't wait to write the next chapter wow. i hope you guys enjoy fight scenes because that's what i enjoy writing the most :)


	4. CHAPTER 4 - Tactical Dispositions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW// Graphic depictions of violence, blood, severe and serious injuries in this chapter. Protect yourself!
> 
> also this is unedited. apologies i just couldn't be bothered

The air was stuffy, the smell of the city heavier and dirtier and just overall much more oppressive than the smell of their little farm. Sure, the animals were kind of gross, and their house could be dirty every now and then, but the stench of absolute filth that accompanied the streets of L’manberg was far worse. It didn’t help that Techno’s sense of smell was boosted tenfold due to his hybrid status.

Not only did the smell bother him, but the buildings pressing up on each side did not aid very much in bringing him comfort. He stayed pressed up against Wilbur’s side, gripping his arm tighter and tighter without noticing his grip was becoming stronger. The dark alleyways they walked down were lit only by the scarce lanterns scattered across major corners, as well as the few houses that still had people awake, their lamps and torches casting pools of lights from the windows of each residence. Most places had their curtains drawn tight, warding off the potential dangers of the night.

Niki’s house, as it turned out, was not on the edge of the city as he’d hoped, but instead on the exact opposite edge of town. Techno kept his head ducked a slight amount as they walked, his ears twitching with every unusual sound. He was completely on edge, every cracking stone or footstep causing him to flinch, sure they’d be jumped at any moment. He knew his unusual look put a target on their backs, that anyone who wasn’t the fondest of hybrids might see him and have an issue with him just existing in their space.

He hoped that wouldn’t be an issue.

The darkness did help conceal them, and Wilbur was clearly extremely knowledgeable about the streets because he kept them off the main pathways and out of site. Having someone so well versed in the secrets of L’manberg, someone who spent all day charting it out and meeting every person, with them was comforting.

The noise of approaching footsteps brought him to a sudden standstill. Wilbur’s arm ripped away from his own as his brother attempted to keep walking, being caught off guard by the change, and he locked frantic eyes with his twin as Wilbur swiveled to look back at him. The eyes contact they held only lasted a second, as Techno’s ears twitched again, hearing multiple running steps approaching from behind them.

He turned as quickly as he could, his hand flying to the sword sheathed at his hip, but he was too late. His eyes darted to the boot that was about to make contact with his chest, and he braced himself for impact. He could hear a crack as the sole came smashing into his side, the air in his lungs whooshing out in one fell swoop.

He didn’t feel the pain at first, just the crushing weight of his lungs being completely empty, as if a vacuum had taken its spot in his chest and stolen all the air away from him. He fell back with quite a lot of force, his left hand flying out behind him to try and save himself from cracking his head on the stones below. His hand landed and took the brunt of his weight, and this time he didn’t hear the crack, but he felt it.

He sat there on the cobblestones, dazed, as the ache in his chest deepened and he had to grit his teeth to stop from shouting. Niki was screaming somewhere behind him, and he saw the flash of a knife as he gasped for an ounce of air, scrambling back as much as he could. He wrist was on fire, and he couldn’t even feel his left hand on the pavement, but it didn’t matter, because there were three very big men, all armed with weapons, standing before him.

One was much closer, the one who had kicked him, and he pointed the knife at Wilbur and Niki, who were still behind him, “Shut it! If you keep screaming, he gets it.”

That got her to quiet down significantly, although Techno could still hear her crying behind him. He didn’t dare move, only glaring up at the man, sure that the second he made any movement they’d be on him and he’d be done for. He didn’t fancy losing his life to a stupid mistake.

“What do you want,” Wilbur spoke up behind him, his voice wavering, and Techno forced himself to calm. He focussed on getting his breathing under control. If he kept gasping, he was only going to injure himself more, and even though he felt like he couldn’t get any air in still, the hyperventilating was not going to help him.

As he monitored his breaths, ignoring the sharp pain in his side every time he inhaled and exhaled, the man in front of him said, “Any money you have on you. Any valuables. Toss them over here or you’ll regret your decision.”

“We literally don’t have anything, I’m not carrying any on me,” Wilbur replied, the desperation in his voice clear, “I don’t even live in town. Please just leave us alone.”

Techno blocked out what was being said as his eyes darted around. He noticed the knife in the man’s hand, and the matching one in the second’s. The third held a small hatchet, and he shivered. He was sure that could hack through a limb with enough force.

The three guys were all big, wide shouldered brutes with huge arms and legs. Tall, built, and ready to fight, but definitely not as agile as him. He knew his strengths. He knew he could win this fight.

His eyes fell closed for one second as he willed himself to forget his injuries, to just think about the people he’d sworn he’d protect. He couldn’t fail, he couldn’t let Phil down, he couldn’t let them be in danger.

When his eyes flitted back open, he saw the man above him moving closer, his knife pointed in Techno’s direction, and he knew he had to act then and there, or he’d lose the small amount of space he had. He pushed himself up in record time, jumping a few paces back, his uninjured hand drawing the sword sheathed at his hip.

In that moment, in that exact second, a smile took over his face. He couldn’t keep it down, the grin wicked and feral. He could hear the blood pumping through his ears, the sound of his heart alight with anxious excitement almost too much for him. He felt alive, his brain buzzing with noise but also somehow calm, focused.  _ This is what you’re made for _ , a chorus chanted to him,  _ this is what you were born to do _ .

The one that had been speaking took a few steps forward and he braced himself, ready for contact. “Stay behind me,” he instructed loudly, his voice not quite sounding like his own. He hoped that Niki and Wilbur would listen, “Find cover.”

The brute approached, knife raised, looking more annoyed than anything else, and that cockiness made Techno angry. He very rarely felt anger, it wasn’t something he dealt with much, but seeing this huge man seem so unphased by the threat he posed was pissing him off. He supposed it was helpful, and that he’d have his guard down, but being underestimated still didn’t feel great.

_ Soon, they’ll know _ , his brain yelled,  _ They’ll know your name, they’ll know your blade. Soon, they’ll meet death. DEATH. _

His mind went blank as the man jabbed at him. He easily side stepped it, his footing light but steady as he danced to the side. He planted himself, his balance never faltering, as he countered, his arm swiping up as the other flung out to the side to steady himself. He let himself put a small amount of his weight into the blow, not overdoing it, knowing he’d likely make the man lose a limb if he did. His opponent’s nonchalant expression fell as his eyes followed Techno’s practiced movements, eyes following his blade as it slashed out.

The sickening thud that came with the sword making contact with the man’s shoulder was not the one he was used to. Again, he’d never been in an actual fight, never pierced skin so easily, so thoughtlessly. The cheer that ran through his head made him grin even more. His face hurt as blood spattered his shirt, spraying from the deep wound he’d created.

The man howled. He staggered back in absolute shock, his eyes wide, and Techno winced as his sword was ripped free from the man’s dominant shoulder, the feeling of it tearing through flesh and muscle as his victim fled to escape its grasp travelling up through his arm, into his chest and secured itself in his heart. He’d never forget that feeling.

The other two men looked wild as he squared up again, both hands gripping the hilt of his sword. He had already forgotten how messed up one of his wrists was, how painful the grip around the blade had become, because it didn’t matter. What mattered was that his twin brother was counting on him, he had to keep them safe.

The injured man distanced himself, one hand coming to try to quench the steady flow of blood that poured from his shoulder, but it was no use. Techno realigned himself as the other two approached him cautiously, flanking him on either side.  _ STRIKE FIRST _ , his mind chanted, a chorus of uncoordinated voices plaguing his thoughts,  _ you can’t deflect them both, you must ATTACK. _

And so he did. He listened, turning to one and dancing forward with practiced ease. He focused the other man who had a knife, jabbing at him once, twice, before landing a stab off centre of his abdomen. It wasn’t fatal, or shouldn’t be if treated properly, he knew this, but his intention was not to kill these men. The voices screamed for him to finish the job, to lodge his blade into the man’s heart, but this time he refused.

He heard the last one before he felt him, his head swivelling slightly, as he stepped one foot backward, pivoting on the spot to face his last opponent. The man who held a hatchet stared at him with frightened eyes, and some of the fight left Techno’s body. He looked terrified.

The hatchet swung up and then down as he pivoted, causing him to lose his balance slightly as he attempted to dodge the blow. It went whooshing by his face, just slightly off to the side, barely missing him. Regaining his unsteady footing, he dodge again, crouching as the axe went clean over his head where his neck had just been. His left foot swung out as his right hand planted on the ground, catching the man’s ankle and sending him toppling.

He pushed back to his feet with all his might, and then brought his boot clad foot down solidly on the man’s dominant hand.

The sickening crunch of bones shattering was clear as it rang through the night. So was the man’s scream of pain.

He staggered back, turning in a quick circle to check for potential threats. The other two men had fled, or at least they weren’t instantly noticeable to him. He locked eyes with WIlbur for a moment, who was standing in front of Niki, his face contorted with an emotions Techno had never seen before.

He turned his attention back to the man on the ground, who cradled his hand to his chest as tears streamed down his face. He crouched down, sword casually held in his hand as he pointed it straight at the robber, the blade nearly coming into contact with the man’s nose. He watched as his opponent froze in fear.

“I propose you run.”

The man was on his feet and dashing off in a second.

_ YOU WON! YOU ARE A WINNER _ , they yelled at him, they screamed at him, they cheered and chanted FOR him. He wanted to hear more, to feel the praise, to bask in the glory.

But as quickly as the voices came, they were gone again.


End file.
